How Often Should You Condition Leather Seats?

Posted by James Detmeron 11.26.12

If you opted for leather, you must know it needs added attention. Often we’re posed with the question “when should I condition my leather” and each time we tend to advise that it really depends on how much action it sees. What this means is that you’ll be conditioning higher trafficked seats more than those less frequented. To give you a better idea I’ll lay this out in two main points…

Love Your Driver’s Seat

Whether you have kids, a wife, a husband, or a dog, the driver’s seat of your car is going to require more conditioning (and cleaning for that matter) than any of the other leather surfaces in your car. This does seem obvious, but often goes overlooked. Most products/manufacturers will recommend conditioning once a season, but if you’re a daily driver, you’ve got to condition your driver’s seat once every month or two.

What if I don’t? Well, in reality, it wont be the end of the world. But what it will do is cause your leather to look beaten up and worn down over time. Discoloration, fading, cracks, and an overall drier leather surface is what awaits if you don’t condition regularly, and believe me, the driver’s seat is the first to go.

And The Rest, Too…

As mentioned, the more a seat is trafficked, the more it needs conditioning. That said, on average you will be in a great place if you condition as often as you wax (which should be every 2-3 months). If you use a paint sealant, bravo… but that doesn’t mean you now only have to condition your leather every 6-8 months. The best way to approach the other seats in your car is to be aware of their condition. You can usually tell when leather needs to be conditioned—it appears dry, cracked, and less supple (much like your hands when they haven’t been moisturized).

At the end of the day it’s all about being proactive. The more you condition, the better condition your leather will be in. Take my word for it, it’s not worth the $2,000 upgrade if the surface isn’t maintained properly. If you find it helpful, make a schedule to remind you when you need to condition your leather. Again, every 2-3 months should do it, but for the more popular seats (ie., yours), conditioning matters all the more.